2016 Auto Express Winter Tire Test

Issue 1,443 of the weekly UK publication Auto Express contains their excellent 2016 winter tire test! This year Auto Express have tested eight winter tire patterns in 205/55 R16 using a VW Golf, and like other publications have included an all season and summer tire for comparison.

All Season and Summer

While the paraphrased winter tire test results can be found below, and the full results on the Auto Express website, we thought it would be interesting to take a look at the summer and all season tires comparative performance to the full winters.

Summer

Unsurprisingly, the summer Dunlop Sport BluResponse tire failed completely in the snow, providing only 30% of the best winter tires braking and just 19% of a winter tires traction. Also unsurprisingly, the summer test was the best in the dry, stopping the car 18% sooner than the best winter, and being the fastest in the dry handling lap, albeit only by 1.6%.

Somewhat more surprising was the summer tires performance in the wet, particularly wet braking. It's often found that even at the cross over temperature of 7c, summer tires still offer a wet braking advantage due to the compromises sipes, the small cuts in rubber in winter tires, have under braking. Auto Express found, when testing around 4-5c, the summer tire could only 63.8% of the best winters braking result, a huge disadvantage.

All Season

The Nokian WeatherProof all season tire highlighted the interesting conundrum of winter-bias all season tires.

When compared to the test winning Continental WinterContact TS860, the Nokian all season had better snow traction, better snow braking, better snow handling, worse wet braking and wet handling, worse dry handling, and only slightly better dry braking.

Looking at the balance of performance of the two tires, the Nokian is infact the better winter tire, and the Continental the better all season tire. The results of the Auto Express all season tire test, due next week, will make for interesting reading!

Full Results

1^st

Continental WinterContact TS 860

205/55 R16

Another test, and another win for the new Continental WinterContact TS860. Somehow the newcomer managed to be the best tire in dry handling, wet handling, wet braking, had the lowest fuel use AND lowest cabin noise. While it wasn't the best tire in the snow, it was close enough, taking second place in snow braking and third place in snow handling. The only real weakness was aquaplaning, where it scored fifth and seventh overall. The best winter tire of the test, and a more of an "all season" tire than the all season tire.

All discipline results (1)

Test	Result
Overall	100

Total: 100

2^nd

Nokian WR D4

205/55 R16

Like the test winning Continental, the Nokian WR D4 excelled in almost every test. It had the strongest snow braking and traction results, finished third and fifth in wet braking and handling tests, won dry braking and was within 1% of the best in dry handling. The main weakness of the Nokian was the rolling resistance, where it finished last, a full 15% behind the best in test.

All discipline results (1)

Test	Result
Overall	99.7

Total: 99.7

3^rd

Pirelli Cinturato Winter

205/55 R16

The new Pirelli Cinturato winter takes a well deserved third place. Like the Nokian, the Pirelli was strong in the snow and the wet, and while it didn't win any of the tests overall, it always placed strongly in the key areas. It struggled a little more in the dry, placing sixth and seventh in dry braking and handling, but neither result was more than 3% worse than the best, such as the closeness of the test. Again like the Nokian, the tires rolling resistance was the real weakness, 15% worse than the best.

All discipline results (1)

Test	Result
Overall	99.3

Total: 99.3

4^th

Goodyear UltraGrip Performance Gen 1

205/55 R16

Like the top three tires, the Goodyear proved to be an extremely balanced winter tire, only narrowly being beaten by the new patterns for 2016. Second in both the snow and wet braking tests, it struggled a little on the wet circle test, and finished last in the dry handling test, albeit only 1.9% behind the winning Continental. Unlike the Nokian and Pirelli, the Goodyear had an excellent rolling resistance score, placing third.

All discipline results (1)

Test	Result
Overall	99

Total: 99

5^th

Michelin Alpin 5

205/55 R16

The Michelin Alpin 5 proved to be a snowmaster, winning the snow circle and snow handling tests, but as with many modern Michelin tires, had a compromised aquaplaning result. A strong balance in the dry, and third place in the wet handling tests were highlights. Not the best rolling resistance on test, but not the worst.

All discipline results (1)

Test	Result
Overall	98.5

Total: 98.5

6^th

Bridgestone Blizzak LM001

205/55 R16

The Bridgestone Blizzak LM001 finished last year's winter test dead last, so being close to the Michelin and sixth overall will be a welcome result. Excellent aquaplaning results and low cabin noise boosted the overall score, however the tire struggled in the wet, and particularly dry braking where it finished last. Due an update in 2017.

All discipline results (1)

Test	Result
Overall	98.4

Total: 98.4

7^th

Dunlop Winter Sport 5

205/55 R16

The Dunlop Winter Sport 5 proved to be an excellent dry weather tire, equalling second place in dry handling and dry braking. The results slipped to mid pack in the wet, and was the worst overall in the snow. Second overall in the rolling resistance test saved it from last place overall.

All discipline results (1)

Test	Result
Overall	97.7

Total: 97.7

8^th

Hankook Winter i cept RS2

205/55 R16

Like the Dunlop, the Hankook was happiest in the dry. In the wet the RS2 struggled, a full 19% behind the best in the wet braking, and second to last in the snow testing. While Hankooks summer tires are now amongst the best, the winter tires need more development.

All discipline results (1)

Test	Result
Overall	97.6

Total: 97.6